Summer Standouts Notes: Whiting honored for academics

Arizona State University standout Ryan Whiting (Central Dauphin) was named Scholar Athlete of the Year in Division I for the 2010 track and field seasons by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Whiting won the NCAA indoor and outdoor titles in the shot for the second straight year, becoming the first in NCAA history to win both crowns in back-to-back years. Whiting, a finalist for the Bowerman Award (honors the best college track and field athlete of the year), carried a 3.46 GPA in civil engineering at ASU. He also won the award for the 2008 indoor season.

Syracuse senior Curtis Bixler and Duke’s John Austin, both Cumberland Valley graduates, were named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field team. Bixler, a geology major, earned the Soladay Award, which is the most prestigious honor for a student-athlete given by the Syracuse Department of Athletics.

Dominant throughout, a husky group of big eaters from Central Dauphin outdistanced Line Mountain and Pine Grove to capture the Mountain Brawl — the fourth installment of the Twin Valley/Mid-Penn Linemen Challenge Saturday at Halifax’s midget football complex. CD collared nine of the competition’s 11 events leading up to the dramatic, event-ending tug-of-war, then outpulled Line Mountain to claim that grueling tussle as well. CD’s efforts resulted in a 15-point performance — low score wins — a TV/MP Linemen Challenge record. In addition to the tug-of-war, CD won the bench press, 20-yard shuffle, Hercules hold, Durango pull, tire toss, farmer’s walk, Jeep push, medicine ball toss and sled pull. CD’s Artie Rowell established an individual mark in the bench press, hoisting 185 pounds 30 times. Pine Grove captured the pull drill, while Williams Valley prevailed in the tire flip. Other Twin Valley outfits included Halifax, Newport and Tri-Valley. Lower Dauphin and Big Spring were the other Mid-Penn contingents that took part.

Toledo senior Jacy Dyer (Cedar Crest) finished 11th in the 800 freestyle prelims at the 2010 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships in Irvine, Ca. Dyer’s finish marked the highest in school history at the national long course event. Her time of 8:44.36 also sets a new school long course record, breaking her own by almost two seconds.

Dickinson junior-to-be Catherine Campbell (Trinity) was named to the USTFCCCA Division III All-Academic team. Campbell qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Nationals in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. She earned All-Centennial Conference honors in both the outdoor and indoor seasons, and was named to the All-Academic Cross Country team last fall.

The Gettysburg men’s and women’s track and field teams have each been named as USTFCCCA Division III All-Academic teams. Also, senior Kerrin Epstein earned All-Academic honors. Epstein, who was a provisional qualifier in the 10,000 meters during the outdoor season, received the All-Academic honor three times in cross country.

Leo Higgins, 11, of Palmyra recently captured a wrestling gold medal in the junior division (107-pound class) at the Keystone State Games in York. Higgins registered a 3-1 recording during the round-robin competition.

Gettysburg wrestling coach Andy Vogel recently participated in the second annual National Wrestling Coaches Association Coaching Leadership Academy. Vogal was just one of 32 wrestling coaches across all NCAA divisions to participate. The academy was held in Delray Beach, Fla., just prior to the NWCA Convention.

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